RHH Volunteer Service

The Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) Volunteer Service

The RHH Volunteer Service consists of 110 volunteers who provide over 32 individual services to support consumers and staff of the State's largest hospital, the RHH.

The RHH Volunteers provides a compassionate and empathetic service committed to the needs of the Tasmanian community and staff. In 2016/17 they provided over 23,000 voluntary hours to the organisation.

The RHH Volunteer Service is recognised for implementing high level consumer support services such as the Emergency Department (ED) Waiting Room Support Service. This role provides consumers of ED with a support person in an often daunting environment; assists in providing clear communication to those seeking updates on the location of family and friends; and updates consumers on wait times through liaising with the Triage Clerk and ED staff. This service has resulted in reducing consumer anxiety whilst at the same time assisting staff to work with consumers in a calmer and therefore more effective manner.

The implementation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Volunteer Cuddles Program has also been a great success with parents, carers and staff of the RHH due to the programs' ability to provide additional support by allowing the parents or carers to have a break, or attend to other children or personal commitments outside of the hospital, with the knowledge that their baby will continue to receive cuddles and companionship in their absence.

The Cuddles Volunteers are specifically chosen for this role and receive special training to hold, cuddle and settle babies. Cuddles Volunteers have been trained in hand hygiene, developmental care practices and family-centred care and they understand the different needs of premature and full-term babies

Various additional consumer support services the RHH Volunteer undertakes include:

pharmacy courier service,

hospital guides,

information desks,

library services,

meal assistance program,

refreshment service,

paediatric play room support.

RHH Volunteers give many reasons for their willingness to offer their time and labour, for example some want to give something back to the hospital in return for the care they, or a family member received when recovering from an accident or illness, or simply a desire to help others.

If you are interested in joining the RHH Volunteer Service, or would just like some more information on this program, please contact the THS- Southern Region, Community Engagement Manager on 6166 7087 or email rhhvolservice@ths.tas.gov.au

About this page

This page was generated on Saturday 25 May 2019 at 3:02am.

The full address of this page is https://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/hospital/royal-hobart-hospital/rhh_volunteer_service

For questions relating to the contents of this page, please use any contact details above, or phone 1300 135 513 or use the Contact Us Form at www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/contact/contact_form